Framing Shed Roof Rafters

If you re framing a gable roof on a new house or building a shed or even a doghouse with a gable roof you ll need to cut a number of roof rafters.

Framing shed roof rafters.

Before you cut your boards you ll need to measure the width of your building and calculate the exact length of each rafter. It rests on top of your wall framing and when done properly serves to keep your shed walls in place while supporting a roof. Sometimes the rafter will have a tail and extend out past the wall so that you have a soffit or overhang. Install the gussets on both sides of all the rafters except for the gable end rafters.

More specifically it is a beam that goes from the peak of your roof down to the eve. Test the rafter assembly by standing it up and lining it up with the edges of the shed floor. If you plan to have eaves to protect the shed walls make sure you add the extra length when measuring the rafters. Lower the first rafter truss into place at either the front or back of the shed.

A stick framed roof uses 2x4 s or 2x6 s or whatever you are framing with but has a ridge board running down the middle ridge line. Difference between a rafter and truss. Fasten the truss by driving 8d finishing nails at an angle down through the board just above the birdsmouth notch and into the underlying wall plate. Place a nail every three inches along the edges of the gusset.

A rafter is the frame of your roof. Now build the remaining roof rafters using the original rafter template and the jig on the shed floor. The roof rafters provide integral structural support to the roof. Use 3 nails for each side.

You then have rafters running down from this ridge board and resting on the top wall plates.